Books that Inspire

When life gets complicated, I turn to my books. I consider my books as my friends, family and therapists. Go ahead laugh all you want, but my books never judge me, lecture me or wait for me to tell them what’s wrong. Instead, they tell me soothing secrets and most importantly, my books inspire me. Nothing gives me more pleasure than an afternoon tea with Elizabeth Bennett and Mark Darcy. Or better yet, following in the footsteps of Santiago or Veronica in their adventures the way Coelho tells it. Sometimes I just want to get lost in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner’s misfortunes. Other times, I’ll desperately depend on Rumi to make me laugh and enlighten me at the same time. And more recently, I look for Mr. Singer to remind me to breath in, release and let go. Then there’s the days, when Najmieh Batmanglij and I will just take the words from print and get inspired to cook up a storm. No matter what is going on in my personal life, I can always count on the great ones to lift me up, inspire me and spice things up. Literally. I personally find working with my hands and cooking to be very soothing and therapeutic. Inspiration in the kitchen can come from anywhere. Whether it’s a great book, a thoughtful movie, an uplifting song, or a great lunch date with your favorite person. I’m definitely still learning new things in the kitchen, so I turn to the more experienced for guidance while I give it a twist and make it my own. Who and what inspires you? Below is a list of the books and blogs that inspire me in my modern Iranian kitchen;

-       Food of Life: Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies
 by Najmieh Batmanglij
-       Pomegranates and Roses: My Persian Family Recipes by Ariana Bundy 
-       The New Persian Kitchen by Louisa Shafia 
-       http://turmericsaffron.blogspot.ca
-       http://figandquince.com
-       http://mypersiankitchen.com

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